Thermal Comfort and Thermal Adaptation between Residential and Office Buildings in Severe Cold Area of China

Abstract

Harbin is located in Chinese severe cold area. Local people stay indoors by most of time in winter. The occupants’ behavioural regulation was greatly different between residents and office staffs, which might lead to the differences of human thermal responses. A field study was conducted in residential and office buildings from September 2013 to May 2014. The thermal environmental parameters were continuously measured and 1050 subjective questionnaires were collected. The results show that the occupants’ behavioural thermal regulation was different between residents and office staffs periodically. There were deviations between indoor air temperature and neutral temperature. The subjects in office buildings expected more to lower the indoor air temperature in winter. The local occupants had adaptation to both cold climate and indoor environment. The strategy of maintaining indoor temperature was suggested according to the different building functions to save energy and keep comfortable.